Aircraft



" April 7, 1936.

H. G. LIND 2,036,587

AIRCRAFT Filed JulyplS, 193 2 Sweats-Sheet l INVENTOR.

HAKONEILIND.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 7, 1936 PATENT OFFICE AIRCRAFT 11mm G. Lind,

New York, N. Y.

Application July 13, 1934, Serial No. 734,958

7 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in aeroplanes andother aircraft and particularly to improvements in propelling means toenable the aeroplane to function 'as a hellcopter or autogyro and besustained in the atmosphere.

An object of the invention is to provide a particularly inexpensive andeflicient aircraft, employing rotating wings of a unique and novelconstruction for the sustentation type.

A feature of the invention is an arrangement of wings or blades of thistype having longitudinal passages in the individual blades through whichthe atmosphere may be expelled outwardly from the centre by centrifugalforce caused by the rotation of the blades, so that air currents passingunder the blades, also due to the rotation of the blades, may be forcedupward into and out through the passages to exert lifting force orpressure on the under sides of the blades to sustain or lift theaeroplane in the air in a mor eiilcient manner than heretofore.

Another feature of the invention is a blade control arrangement wherebysaid blades may be adiusted to any desired angle in relation to thecentral longitudinal axis of the blade and the direction of travel ofthe plane, to secure lifting, sustentating or descending eifects on theaeroplane as desired.

Referring now to the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a side view of an'aeroplane constructed in accordance withone embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 shows a top view of said aeroplane;

Fig. 3 shows one of the wings or. blades constructed in accordance withmy invention;

Fig. 4 shows an end view of the blade shown in Fig. 3 looking from theouter end of the blade;

Fig. 5 shows a side view of the suspension structure for the bladespartly in section;

Fig. 6 shows a top view of said structure in Fig. 5 partly in section;

Fig. 7 shows a cross section of one of the adlusting arms for one of theblades, while Fig. 8 shows a cross section of an adJusting arm taken online 3-8 of Fig. 6.

Referring again to the drawings, a description will be made of theconstruction of the aeroplane, followed by a description of itsfunctions.

Figs. 1 and 2 show a fuselage I with ordinary aeroplane wings 2, tallplane and rudder 3, ailerons 4 and a propeller 5. Secured to thecentralportion of the fuselage at the top is a superstructure shown in detailin Figs. 5 to 8, on which the blades 1 are suspended for rotation andcontrol in accordance with this invention.

In regard to the blades 1, Figs. 3 and 4 show their construction. Ablade 1 consists of the usual rib construction covered with any suitablematerial and shaped, in regard to the upper surface, in the usual form.The under surface, however, is shaped as shown, with a longitudinalenclosure io, extending from the point I l to the tip of the blade atlit, with the enclosure open at this latter point. This enclosure alsoopens at the centre of the blade towards the rear, into passages betweentransverse and diagonally placed partition plates l3.

The blade is suspended on a central axis or tubular shaft [4. This shaftI4 is journalled into a tube i5, secured or clamped in the movable framestructure Iii. To the inner end of the shaft I4 is secured a bearingplate l1, and to the end' of the tube l5 secured to the frame it, isanother bearing plate l8. Between these plates are placed balls iii, toform a ball bearing structure to permit the shaft [4 to move freely intube i5. To the plate I! which surrounds the shaft I4, is secured an arm20, for the turning or adjusting of the blade I on its axis or shaft i4.The extreme end of the shaft I4 is mounted in a cap 22, which forms partof a ring 23, having four caps 22, one for each shaft I4. Opposite thesecaps 22, and

integral with the ring 23, are bearings 25, in which rollers 26 aremounted. The opposite ends of the tubes l5 are provided with flanges 21,which are secured to struts 28, connected together at the opposite endsto a plate 3i at the top of the frame it, while struts 29 connect theflanges 21.

The frame it may consist of the four bent members 30, riveted togetherat the top to plate 3], and at the bottom to a circular member 32. Themember 32 is enclosed or journalled in another circular flange shapedmember 33, while the plate 3| is mounted, by means of the ball bearing34, on the stud 35, so that the frame It can rotate freely around thestud 35 and in the flange 33.

The stud 35 is fastened in the frame 40, comprising four upright members4i, having an outer ring or runway 42 for the rollers 25. Each of theseupright members 4| is provided with a vertical slot 43, and terminatesin a circular base plate 44, integral therewith. The base plate 44 isprovided with outwardly extending supporting ribs 45, to secure thewhole frame 40 to the upper part 46 of the fuselage. The frames l6 and40 may be manufactured in any suitable manner, for example by castingsor welded steel ribs.

The control means for changing the angle of the blades to theirrespective axes, comprises a central bar 48, supported to slidevertically at the top in a bearing or ring 49, which forms part of theframe 40 and is secured thereto by ribs 58, which terminate at theirouter ends in the upright members 4|. This bar 48 is also slidablysupported at the lower end in a similar ring 5|, which is secured byribs 52 to the base plate 44. Bar 48 is adjustable, in the verticaldirection by a rack 53 cut therein and a worm gear 54 meshing with therack 53. Said gearv 54 is mounted in ring 5| androtatabie in anysuitable manner, for example bythe control rod 55. is provided,approximately at its centre, with a ball socket 55, having fourdiagonally opposite openings. In this socket rests a ball shaped centralportion to which are secured four arms or members 51, each protrudingthrough a corresponding opening in the socket 58. It should beunderstood that these arms and the central ball shaped portion, as wellas the socket in the bar 48, may be constructed in any suitable manner,by properly machined parts assembled so that one pair of arms, extendingin opposite directions from the central ball portion, may be moved oradjusted in any position in relation to the horizontal plane, within thelimits controlled by the slots 43, through which they extend and theother pair of arms, extending at right angles to the first mentionedpair in opposite directions from the central ball portion, may be movedor controlled in the same manner in relation to the horlmntal plane,within the limits of slots 43, through which these arms extend. Thefirst mentioned arms may be movedby means of the rack 58, rotatablysecured at opposite ends to the corresponding opposite arms. The rack 58is controlled by the gear 68 rotatably mounted in the bar 48. Said gear60 may be rotated by any suitable lever (not shown). The secondmentioned arms may be moved by means of a similar rack 6|, rotatablysecured at opposite ends on the corresponding opposite arms. These racksextend, as shown, through a slot in the bar 48, below the ball socketand may be controlled by a gear 82 which is movable by a rod 83. To theouter ends of the arms 51 is secured a ring 64, as shown in Figs. 5 to8. This ring 64 is provided with runways 65 and 65 on its upper andlower surfaces respectively.

Each arm or lever 20, see Fig. 8, is associated by means of a linkingarrangement 81 with the ring 84, comprising a clamp shaped member 68,enclosing balls 69 and 10, with ball 69 running in runway 65 and ball 10in runway 86 of ring 64. This clamp also holds a pin 12 that is movablein a slot 13 of a member 14, secured to an upright 15. As there are fourclamps 68, each with its associated pin I2 and member 14, there is oneupright 15 for each such member. Each of these uprights 15 form part ofthe frame I8, and are similar to uprights 30 and secured at their upperends in plate 3| and at their lower ends in the ring 32. Each clamp 68is movably secured to its corresponding arm 20 by means of the ball andsocket arrangement, comprising the tubing ll,pinion l8 and nut 19, asclearly shown in Fig. 8, so that the arm 20 is movable in any directionin relation to the clamp 68.

Referring now to the operation of the control mechanism for the blades,each pair of arms 51 may be set at any desired angle in relation to thehorizontal plane by their corresponding racks The bar 48' 58 and 6|,controlled by the corresponding gears and control rods, to place thering 84 in a corresponding tilted position in relation to the horizontalplane. For example, the ring may be tilted at an angle so that the point80, see Figs. 5 and 6, is raised above, and the point 8| below thehorizontal and the point 83 may, for example, be tilted below and point84 above the horizontal plane, although this latter tilted position ofthe ring is not possible to show in drawings. Considering now that theaeroplane is moving in the direction of the arrow 85, with the blades inthe position shown in Fig. 6 and the blades rotating in the direction ofthe arrows in Fig. 2 the blade 86 would at this instant be tilted withthe forward edge downward, blade 81 also with the forward edge tilteddownward, while blades 88 and 89 would be tilted with their forwardedges in an upward direction, the same amount as the blades 86 and 81are tilted downward. When blades 88 and 81 arrive at the positionsformerly held by blades 88 and 89 respectively, these blades 86 and 81would then tilt upward while the blades 88 and 89 would tilt downward.In other words, for each revolution each bladewill have been tilted onceupward and once downward. The resulting'effect on the control over theflight of the aeroplane is easily imagined, thatis, the rotation of theblades, due to this control, will actually prevent the drifting oi theaeroplane due to the wind, regardless of the direction from which itcomes in relation to the direction of travel of the aeroplane and willfurther maintain or direct the course of the travel of the aeroplanewithout regard to the wind condition, whether the course is downward orupward, or in any other direction.

It should be noted also that the angle of incidence may be adjusted toany desired degree by the rod 55 controlling, through the gear 54 andrack 53, the position of the rod 48. By moving the rod 48 upward theangle of incidence may be reduced and by moving it downward this anglemay be increased. But regardless of what the angle is the rotation ofthe blades may, by the position of the ring 64, be so controlled that atany position of opposite blades, one will be tilted in one direction tothe same degree as the other is tilted in the opposite direction,although it should be understood that the angle of incidence in onedirection of one blade may be greater than the angle of incidence in theopposite direction of the other blade in relation to the horizontalplane.

The sustaining force effective on the blades due to their constructionwill now be described. If the blades are rotating it is evident that thecolumn of air in the aperture or opening ill will, due to thecentrifugal force be driven outward through the end of the blade andthus tend to create a vacuum in the aperture. This will, in turn, drivethe air that rushes past the forward edge of the blade, across the lowersurface of the blade inward and upward and past the ribs l3 into theaperture and then through the aperture out through the tip of the blade.The diagonal position of the ribs ill will tend to further aid thepassage of this air into the aperture III by preventing it from slippingoutward across the underside of the blade. Thus it will be seen thatthese air streams passing into the aperture will tend to exert an upwardpressure on the underside of the blade and therefore act to lift theblade upward through the atmosphere to a greater extent than wouldordinarily take place in the usual type of blades employed in autogyrotype aircraft.

The original position of the rib plates 13 will also tend to keep theblades 1 in rotating motion, acted upon by the wind.

The annular gear 2|, attached to ring 23, and pinion 24, through aclutch connection, driven by the motor, serve to force a rotation of theblades 1. Thus, when a strong vertical lift is necessary, the pinion 24is, through the clutch, (not shown), connected to the motive power andforce is applied to the rotation of the blades, but when mere sustentionis needed, the gears 2| and 24 may be disconnected from the power unitand the blades 1 will rotate, driven by the attack of the wind orcurrent of air against the diagonal plates l3.

1 What I claim is:

1. An aeroplane comprising a rotatable structure on the upper surface ofthe fuselage, four wings mounted on said structure, each of said wingshaving an upper curved surface, a lower surface extending from the frontedge of the wing to approximately the central longitudinal axis of thewing thereby forming an aperture extending longitudinally through thefront portion of the wing between said surfaces, transverse ribs on theunder side of the wing extending from the rear edge of the wing toapproximately the central longitudinal axis of the wing thereby formingenclosures and said wing formed with openings connecting said aperturewith the enclosures formed by said ribs.

2. An aeroplane comprising a rotatable structure on the upper surface ofthe fuselage, four wings mounted on said structure, means for adjustingthe angle of incidence of said wings, each of said wings having an uppercurved surface extending over the entire upper portion of the wing, alower surface extending from the front edge of the wing to approximatelythe central longitudinal axis of the wing thereby forming an apertureextending longitudinally through the front portion of the wing betweensaid surfaces, transverse ribs on the under side of the wing extendingfrom the rear edge of the wing to approximately the central longitudinalaxis of the wing thereby forming enclosures and said wing formed withopenings connecting said aperture with the enclosures formed by saidribs.

3. An aeroplane comprising a rotatable structure onthe upper surface ofthe fuselage, four wings, mounted on said structure, means for adjustingthe angle of incidence of said wings between two limits once during eachrevolution for each wing, each of said wings having an upper curvedsurface, a lower surface extending from the front edge of the wing toapproximately the central longitudinal axis of the wing thereby formingan aperture extending longitudinally through the front portion of thewing between said surfaces, transverse ribs on the under side of thewing extending from the rear edge of the wing to approximately thecentral longitudinal axis of the wing thereby forming enclosures andsaid wing formed with openings connecting said aperture with theenclosures formed by said ribs.

4. An aeroplane comprising a rotatable structure on the upper surface ofthe fuselage, four wings mounted on said structure, means for adjustingthe angle of incidence of said wings between two limits once during eachrevolution of each wing, means for changing said limits at any instantduring rotation of the wings, each of said wings having an upper curvedsurface extending over the entire upper portion of the wing, a lowersurface extending from the front edge of the wing to approximately thecentral longitudinal axis of the wing thereby forming an apertureextending longitudinally through the front portion of the wing betweensaid surfaces, transverse ribs on the under side of the wing extendingfrom the rear edge of the wing to approximately the central longitudinalaxis of the wing thereby forming enclosures and said wing formed withopenings connecting said aperture with the enclosures formed by saidribs.

5. An aeroplane comprising a stationary structure on the under surfaceof the fuselage, a rotatable structure mounted for rotation around saidstationary structure on bearings at the upper portion of said stationarystructure and on bearings on said fuselage, four wings, a shaft for eachwing, means for rotatably mounting said shafts on said rotatablestructure, a lever at the free end of each shaft, a ring surroundingsaid stationary structure, a bar, means for mounting said bar in avertically slidable position in said stationary structure, a memberhaving four arms, means for mounting said member at. its centre in saidbar for movement within certain limits in any direction, means forconnecting said ring to the outer ends of said arms, means for adjustingsaid member in any position within said limits in relation to said bar,a clamp shaped member for each lever slidably mounted on said ring, auniversal link structure for connecting each clamp shaped member to aparticular lever so arranged that when the ring is adjusted to a certainposition in relation to the bar and the rotatable structure is rotatedaround the stationary structure said clamp shaped members will travelaround the ring and transmit through their respective links and leversrocking movements'to the associated shafts, each shaft participatingduring each rotation of the rotatable structure of a rocking or turningmovement consisting of a movement in one direction followed by an equalmovement in the opposite direction.

6. An aeroplane wing having an upper curved surface extending over theentire upper portion of the wing, at lower surface extending from thefront edge of the wing to approximately the central longitudinal axis ofthe wing thereby forming an aperture extending longitudinally throughthe front portion of the wing between said surfaces, transgerse ribs onthe under side of the wing extend ng from the rear edge of the wing toapproximately the central longitudinal axis of the wing, thereby formingenclosures and said wing formed with openings connecting said aperturewith the enclosures formed by said ribs.

7. An aeroplane wing having an upper curved surface extending over theentire upper portion of the wing, a lower surface extending from thefront edge of the wing to approximately the central longitudinal axis ofthe wing thereby forming an aperture extending longitudinally throughthe front portion of the wing between said surfaces, ribs on the underside of the wing extending diagonally across the wing from the rear edgeof the wing to approximately the central longitudinal axis of the wingthereby forming enclosures and said wing. formed with openingsconnecting said aperture with the enclosures formed by said ribs.

HAKON G. LINIVJ.

